Nice suprise Paris

At the Stade du Ray, Paris Saint-Germain went down 2-1 to Nice following goals from Bauthéac (76') and Esseyric (86'), despite Ibrahimovic's having equalised with his 13th league goal of the season (82').

After crashing out of the Coupe de la Ligue against Saint-Etienne, Paris Saint-Germain were looking to get back on track in a second successive away game, hoping to pick up from their large win over Troyes when they travelled to Nice. However it was Nice who started the stronger. Kolodziejczak pushed through in the centre of the park and tried his luck from 25 metres. Douchez, who started in the absence of Sirigu, stopped the shot comfortably (10'). Slowly Paris took the upper hand and reacted immediately through Ibrahimovic, whose shot went just wide (20'), and then Lavezzi, whose shot was blocked desperately (22').

Carlo Ancelotti's men increased their dominance but neither Ibrahimovic (30', 40'), nor Lavezzi (30'), nor Thiago Silva (39') could make the break, and Mr. Buquet sent the players into the break with the scores level. After half-time, Paris picked up where they left off. Jallet played Lavezzi into space on the right, the forward crossing along the ground. At the far post, Ménez tried to cut the ball back for Ibrahimovic but Civelli intervened (51'). Ménez, as lively as ever, broke on the left and cut inside. He played Ibrahimovic through into the area but the Swede's shot on the turn was snapped up by Ospina (55'). Right after that, from a corner, Alex rose highest but his header missed the target (56').

The Red and Blues pushed but couldn't open the scoring. Matuidi found Ibrahimovic in the area and, with his back to goal, turned and fired off an angled shot. The shot passed within a hair's breadth of the post (67'), just before Ménez's thunderbolt of a volley was turned wide by Ospina (69'). Nice pushed forward in the final stages and Civelli, from a corner, would have put his side in front had it not been for a superb save from Douchez (74'). But Nice were just getting started... Cvitanich nutmegged Van der Wiel in the area and, faced with Douchez, found Bauthéac who only had to tap the ball into the empty net(1-0, 76').

It was a tough blow for the Parisians, who went on the offensive. Pastore turned on the fireworks but his powerful shot was turned away by Ospina (80'), before the referee whistled for a free kick 25 metres out. Ibrahimovic shot powerfully through the wall (1-1, 82'). Paris thought they had done the hard work but Bauthéac, on the left, sent in a curling cross. At the far post, Esseyric rifled past Douchez (2-1, 86'). PSG wouldn't bounce back, but they have no time to dwell on it, as they have the chance to make amends in front of their own fans at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday against Porto and then on Saturday agaisnt Evian.